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Snappa · 19-11-2009, 04:57 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Mate, in early 2008 I was (and still am) in the same boat as you are now - I had a nice big 6-cyl company car and 1 kid with 2 on the way. We quickly discovered that 1 booster seat and 2 baby seats weren't going to fit across the back of my car so I started shopping around for 4WD/SUVs.

On my shortlist at the time were:

Territory - discounted this very quickly as I didn't have a petrol tanker that could follow me around.
Hyundai Santa Fe - awesome fuel economy but more a soft roader and a bit on the small side
100 series Landcruiser - too rich for me. Even 4-5 year old versions were still $70-$80

and the good old 120 Prado

I didn't look at Disco's as they are too expensive - even 2nd hand - and they are known to have "issues".

After test driving them all I settled firmly on a 2006 1KZ-TE Prado.

Reasons were, in no particular order:

1. Size - easily fits a booster seat and 2 baby seats across the back, and still has plenty of room for camping stuff etc etc
2. Safety - If another car hits the Prado, the Prado will come off best. Same applies to most 4WD's .
3. Reliability - Talking to mechanics I know and researching on the net (Pradopoint.com, of course) it appears that 1KZ's have no issues reaching 250K plus without any major mechanical issues, as long as they are well serviced
4. Price - you get good value for money with Prados, even the base model like mine
5. Resale - In NZ , NZ new Toyota's (not grey imports)have the highest resale value of any major car brand in the market, and Prados hold their 2nd hand value very well.
6. Economy - I regularly get high 10's/low 11's per 100k with my 1KZ-TE. Not bad really when its pushing a 2t truck along the road loaded up to the gunwales.
7. Family - I have a young family and some of the best days with the W&K's have been when we decided to just chuck a picnic and some camping gear in the back of the truck and take off up the beach or hoon around in the forest for the day. As the ad on the telly says - "Priceless". The Prado easily takes you places you cant get to in the company car - even though Falcons do have a surprising offroad capability :wink:

Prado's aren't racecars, but they do what they are designed to do very very well. I regularly go off road with std tyres and have only ever been stuck once (Grandcraps and mud do not mix well, especially on tight uphill low range 1st gear corners...watch out). As you will find out if you buy one, they are highly rated off road vehicles in standard form - even more so once they are modified with lift, tyres etc etc

I am very very happy with my vehicle and as I've stated elsewhere on this forum - its the best vehicle I have ever owned. Full Stop.

Cheers

Snappa :twisted:

YOOT · 19-11-2009, 06:28 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by Snappa

I am very very happy with my vehicle and as I've stated elsewhere on this forum - its the best vehicle I have ever owned. Full Stop.

Cheers

Snappa :twisted:

Thats what I want to hear. I think I know deep down inside its the right thing to do, but I just have been fortunate to have new cars the last few years and I would love to stick to that because you know what you are getting and you are the one putting all the scratches and marks on it! But, family coming, I own a house now, and I have expensive tastes in camping and 4Wds I have to be sensible. I still love teh RangeRover Sport but its a toy really, not a work horse.

And the Forester, awesome for what it is, but I need to go up and out!

butane8 · 19-11-2009, 06:34 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

8) no good to you on this topic, i'm prado biest 8)

my mate drives a fg gt manual, he drove the rig today and was blown away by the performance of the v6 in a 4x4, i love it :lol:
when you drive the prado (petrol) it feels like theirs no end to the tacko, i love slowly feedin it in then , pausing then feeding it in and so on, when it gets to 4.6rpm the growl of the motor says now let me go, and i love plantin' it about there, till the shift.... :roll: but i know nothin about other brands, i just love this car .... so fun to drive

Dobbo · 19-11-2009, 07:50 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

I've had my Prado now for over 3 years and I still love it as much as the very first day that I took it home.
I love the comments that people make when they ride with me.Such comments as they can't believe how smooth it is or how comfortable it is or how quiet it is.
It's one of those cars that I actually look forward to getting in each day and driving to work.
It's taken me and my family to the heart of Australia and back, over some of the harshest roads this country has to offer and it did it all without letting us down once or even working up a sweat. Add a few mods like suspension lift, better tyres and the like, and you have a very capable vehicle that will get you almost anywhere.
So if I seemed biased, you're right. Would I buy another? I most likely will in several more years but right now, I'm having too much fun in this one.

Dobbo

Mike · 19-11-2009, 08:48 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Dobbo's comments x2. Great alrounder for the money

Hutch · 19-11-2009, 08:51 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

The prado is the best car i have ever owned( it is my 15th Car), it used to be my wifes car however i have just taken the car and brought her a new little mazda 2, it is our family car and i haven't had one issue with it. I would sell it to you but i love it too much.
We have a GXL v6 auto, what i love about it is how quiet and smoove it is and that you can cruise all day up the highway then lock the diff and hit fraser for a week, it is a great all round vehicle.

dog789 · 19-11-2009, 11:49 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

We've had a Prado V6 Grande for about 6 years now.
It is the best car we ever have owned, as both a mum's taxi AND some simple offroading.
Only regret is not buying the diesel for the fuel economy. Don't get scared off by the fact it's a diesel, the D4D particularly is a very good engine and easily as drivable as the V6.
Normally (and for the wife's car) we change cars up every two years. We never did this with the Prado, it was still did everything we wanted, looked fine, worked flawlessly and reliably. To be honest, we have no plans to upgrade or sell the Prado, it works perfectly for everything we use it for, although thanks to being a V6 4lt engine it is a bit thirsty for city driving, again only regret is not going for the diesel. The wife's only complaint is that it is too big for parking, to which I remind her that her E-Class Merc has a bigger footprint :P Seriously though, the Prado is an amazing allrounder. BTW, the Pathfinder is capable offroad like the Prado, but like the Paj (anything with limited wheel articulation and good traction control for that matter) but it gets places with alot more 'fuss' ie, you go up a rutted hill in your prado and only lift wheels a few times, getting through without too many bumps and having for the most part at least three wheels touching the ground, the Pathies and Pajes, watching them at least, is like it is this big box sliding up a hill and like the CG moving out of the range for the two wheels still on the ground, watch it fall down, then move forwards, scrape the sidesteps... I hope that makes some sense at least, but the point i'm trying to make is that it gets there, just not as easily or comfortably (or safely!)...
Our Prado does have TC, and I'd recommend getting a VX only for that, unless you are planning on adding airlockers. Another thing about the Prado is that it is deceptively small on the outside when parking, and big on the inside when loading crap up in it.
The Disco is very good in pretty much every respect, when it's working. The reliability is a huge let down though. There is a reason you see so few of them out of mobile phone range.
The Range Rover isn't a Prado competitor.
Overall the Prado is pretty much the best allrounder you can find out there for a family wanting to go 4wd touring, cart the kids around during the week, and have working reliably for years to come.
Also, I can't stress how good the traction control is if you don't have front and rear difflocks. We managed to drive into a innocent looking puddle of water on the track, in high gear, then suddenly end up (no snorkel and a petrol

ops

with the grandcraps in mud, mucky water up 1/4 the windscreen on the passenger side, and half way up the metal on the door drivers side, went to low gear, gave it some revs, spun wheels, gave it a bit more, the TC kicked in and suddenly wheels stopped spinning and we came out. Then had to pull out a stock DX Pootrol that was following us (the driver was even being cocky that his pootrol would make it through no stress

) And after that ordeal there was NO noticeable water ingress, and we were like that for about a minute. I am always impressed by the Prado... Also had a service scheduled anyways for the week after that weekend, where they didn't even notice anything out of the ordinary, except for the mud all over the car, which they kindly pressure cleaned off for us...

ozwapet2 · 20-11-2009, 07:24 AM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by dog789

Our Prado does have TC, and I'd recommend getting a VX only for that, unless you are planning on adding airlockers. ..

You could order TC as a factory fitted option on the GXL 120. However the point is now irrelevant as you would be lucky to to get a new 120 with that option fitted.
I would wait until the 150 comes out and if you can wait until next year when the rumoured V6 diesel comes out it will give you a good comparison of different engines.

meta · 20-11-2009, 09:30 AM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic....t=7035#p100549

GX T/D 5 seat Auto (-$2500 Man) $62,830 driveaway (7 seat +$2500)

Why not wait for another 6 months and get a new GX for just under $60K?

Maybe $10K more, but you can keep it for the next 6 years (till LC170/180 what ever they call it).

stephenvsl · 20-11-2009, 03:12 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

We had Range Rovers for years and got to know mechanics on a first name basis. When things go wrong (and they will) there are not many people who know how to fix them and the parts can be very $$$$$$. Also look at dealer networks, in Qld there are a few Landrover dealers up the coast but West of Toowoomba or the coast, the closest dealers are Darwin and Alice! There is a great book called the "Dog and Lemon Guide" which is worth the $25 or so when you are looking at a $50000 investment.

quadcam · 20-11-2009, 04:03 PM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by YOOT

Originally posted by Snappa

I am very very happy with my vehicle and as I've stated elsewhere on this forum - its the best vehicle I have ever owned. Full Stop.

Cheers

Snappa :twisted:

Thats what I want to hear. I think I know deep down inside its the right thing to do, but I just have been fortunate to have new cars the last few years and I would love to stick to that because you know what you are getting and you are the one putting all the scratches and marks on it! But, family coming, I own a house now, and I have expensive tastes in camping and 4Wds I have to be sensible. I still love teh RangeRover Sport but its a toy really, not a work horse.

And the Forester, awesome for what it is, but I need to go up and out!

Having had a 120 GXL and reading between the lines in your posts I think a GXL will be a bit plain for you. A VX might be more appropriate, but even that might be underdone.

In regards to your comment about the Subaru auto and the clutch pack drive for the rear have you considered a 6 cylinder Outback with 5 speed auto. The 5 speed autos have a real centre diff with 35:65 unlocked torque split and a computer driven wet clutch pack to limit slip (like the STI DCCD). It is referred to as VTD (variable torque distribution) rather than the clutch pack only MPT (Multi plate transfer). Although just looking at the service manual for the 2006 model Forester it says turbos with VDC (vehicle dynamics control) have the VTD transfer while non VDC turbos and all non turbos have the MPT.

YOOT · 21-11-2009, 07:00 AM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by quadcam

Originally posted by YOOT

Originally posted by Snappa

I am very very happy with my vehicle and as I've stated elsewhere on this forum - its the best vehicle I have ever owned. Full Stop.

Cheers

Snappa :twisted:

Thats what I want to hear. I think I know deep down inside its the right thing to do, but I just have been fortunate to have new cars the last few years and I would love to stick to that because you know what you are getting and you are the one putting all the scratches and marks on it! But, family coming, I own a house now, and I have expensive tastes in camping and 4Wds I have to be sensible. I still love teh RangeRover Sport but its a toy really, not a work horse.

And the Forester, awesome for what it is, but I need to go up and out!

Having had a 120 GXL and reading between the lines in your posts I think a GXL will be a bit plain for you. A VX might be more appropriate, but even that might be underdone.

In regards to your comment about the Subaru auto and the clutch pack drive for the rear have you considered a 6 cylinder Outback with 5 speed auto. The 5 speed autos have a real centre diff with 35:65 unlocked torque split and a computer driven wet clutch pack to limit slip (like the STI DCCD). It is referred to as VTD (variable torque distribution) rather than the clutch pack only MPT (Multi plate transfer). Although just looking at the service manual for the 2006 model Forester it says turbos with VDC (vehicle dynamics control) have the VTD transfer while non VDC turbos and all non turbos have the MPT.

Intersting note you nake about the centre diff there, although I am not a fan of auto's in small cars. I think the manual Subarus have the closest setup to the Prado with out locking the centre. The '09 D4D that came to Fraser with us never locked the centre diff untill he had to stop on Indian head. It had all sorts of trouble trying to find traction (Wheels wpin, then stop, then spin, then stop) and I do beleive it did not have TC. Once the centre was locked, it was off. The Forester just took off with 4 wheels spinning straight away so something works better in that regard, as it si mechanical LSD which just works al the time not when a computer tinks it should.

YOOT · 21-11-2009, 07:02 AM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by meta

http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic....t=7035#p100549

GX T/D 5 seat Auto (-$2500 Man) $62,830 driveaway (7 seat +$2500)

Why not wait for another 6 months and get a new GX for just under $60K?

Maybe $10K more, but you can keep it for the next 6 years (till LC170/180 what ever they call it).

This is very interesing, I was looking at a 2008 120 GXL balck for sale with 21K on the clock, asking price was $53K, another 10K would see me in a 150 series, but its a lot of coin, and I still have to find money for a Bullbar, towbar, Roof racks, GPS, Bluetooth etc which all came with the 120.

YOOT · 21-11-2009, 07:04 AM

Re: Sell me the Land Cruiser Prado

Originally posted by ozwapet2

Originally posted by dog789

Our Prado does have TC, and I'd recommend getting a VX only for that, unless you are planning on adding airlockers. ..

You could order TC as a factory fitted option on the GXL 120. However the point is now irrelevant as you would be lucky to to get a new 120 with that option fitted.
I would wait until the 150 comes out and if you can wait until next year when the rumoured V6 diesel comes out it will give you a good comparison of different engines.

Airlockers are high on my priority list, I think I would have a rear one installed within a week or purchasing.

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